blacklabrador

Oh Rozzie... all the heartbreak - I don't know how you withstand it. The old ones are mostly expected I guess... but when you lose the babies... run free Luther

I saw a HUGE price difference - even between ANVET online and vet. If I go into the vet for Advocate >25kg 6 pack I pay $114. If I get it online I pay $86. SAME COMPANY!!!!! I found priceless pets was even less... and they were happy for me to go pick up the Sentinel from their vet clinic at Wooloowin in Brisbane for the same price (cause I don't have a credit card). I LOVE PRICELESS PETS

Mel I have difficulty keeping weight ON my dogs when on BARF alone.... (and thats with plenty of lamb bones thrown in) Kaden did not look overweight last Sunday.... :rolleyes:

Hmm I don't understand that. Dogs have no reasoning... Puppy's don't think "Hey I am a baby and I think it would have been fairer to desex me when I was older!" There is no more pain for them as puppies than when they are older (probably less actually as they heal quicker as pups). Feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

I have to potential to get frustrated sometimes... but I make a point of walking away before it happens. I know it doesn't help the dogs to train angry so I tend to just go "right training over!" and walk away... usually without the nice praise they usually get at the end of training. So I guess TBone knows when he has been a clown once too often.... cause Mama just withdraws her attention!

I don't know anything about ear infections.... but I know about skin integrity. If you use Lucas's Pawpaw ointment on the skin outside the ear it will stop it breaking into sores from the discharge oozing out onto it.

NAAAHHHH Not BLACK ones surely :D

Oh Rozzie... she was beautiful... Run like the wind Zoe

May be a sign of heart failure.... Heartworm can cause it but it can happen for other reasons - same as in people.

I have found a change in diet will give a puppy enough bowel irritation to cause some blood in the stool. It isn't a symptom to take lightly though... as the causes can be so serious.

PW veges are more likely to be eaten if you mix in the raw egg and cottage cheese with them - or a few spoonfulls of mince or sardines. I mix it all up so they can't possibly eat the mince without eating the veges... But then again my dogs are labradors.... :rolleyes: they eat anything.

PW how did this thread end up about you? Someone else asks advice and you take over. I agree that someone must be able to have access to more than one point of view. BUT you are running your own puppy school there - largely experimental practices, many of which aren't recommended - either with modern practices or older practices. When you have raised several pups on your own with these practices and have been completely successful with several different dog personalities.. you may then speak with some authority on your point of view. (Your point of view has changed MARKEDLY in between "reading" about a pup and actually "getting" a pup - initial posts in 'fact or fiction' - you mentioned getting a puppy muzzle etc ). So when you are talking about your puppy rearing practices - please inform the person who you are "advising" that you are NEW to puppy rearing and really just feeling your way along for the first time. Its obvious to us... its not necessarily obvious to the newcomer. Sorry Gibbo... I did just hijack this further - but needed to say this.

You say the electric shock didn't hurt you KitKat????? Nahh.... nuffin wrong with you Sorry gorgeous... just kidding (and hijaking the thread) I know nothing about prong collars... just trying to make you smile

LP I had no idea how lovely rats could be!! I am so sorry to hear about Bryce... he sounds as though he was one amazing rat. I will be thinking about you hon. Take care.

Oh... the tragedy of a life cut short.... RIP Gemma girl. The thought of having to do this brings tears to all our eyes.

I have just received 'Raising a Puppy" by the Monks of New Skete. I will let you know after I have read some. I got a lot of insight into dog's minds and pack behaviour from a book called "The Dog Man" by Martin McKenna. He was a homeless boy in Ireland that ended up living with a pack of dogs - first hand experience of becoming the Alpha Dog in a pack!! Some of his stuff is a little harsh - I read it before I got my first pup and I had to wonder whether I would ever enjoy being a dog owner after I had read it!! If you can sort the useful stuff from the stuff you might think is a little over the top it will no doubt give you some insight into dog behaviour.

I could only imagine that the black lab is top of the sport!! Poppy thinks that rain is for dancing in.... what else could it be for? She is only at the hose taming part of her training at the moment - Mama needs to go buy a AKC approved sprinkler so we can get down to serious business.

@Poodlefan Sorry to hijack the thread Kitkat... I just can't help myself sometimes

UUUMMMM OK..... (stop showing off Molassielassie ) We do.... Silly Buggers - can be done anywhere at any time and anyone standing by may judge - we always get score very highly in this one. There are different categories including dog and handler (ie. wrestling) and dog by himself - includes butt tucking puppy zoomies. Hide and Seek - Done inside, usually late at night after handler has had a few drinks and is bored. Dog sit/stay and handler goes to hide - on command dog must find handler. A short round of silly buggers then follows. Handler may sit while dog hides (but dog always hides in the same place and handler may get bored). I can't find any links to these sports. If only there were titles available!

When I had my last experience with kennel cough I had three dogs. One vaccinated to C4, and the other two to C5. By far the dog who was worst affected was one of the ones vaccinated to C5. I treated only with homeopathic drops - no antibiotics (its a virus so why bother?). The acute stage of the illness even for the worst affected dog was only three days. He was the sickest in that he was coughing up small amounts of sputum regularly - some of it was pink - slightly bloodstained from the irritation in his throat from coughing. I used limited amounts of a cough suppressant at nighttime (otherwise the Mama didn't get any sleep!!). Kennel Cough is an infection of the trachea (upper airway) and NOT the lungs. It may travel to the lungs in complicated cases but the sound of the cough would change and the dog would become much sicker. Conservative rather than aggressive treatment of kennel cough must be done with caution and observation.

Kit you may notice that once the cough stops it will return any time you put them on a lead. I had that problem with Poppy - every time I put the lead on she would cough again - just with the pressure against her throat. It is of no consequence - is probably a further deterrent to pulling!

Kit I will get you an attachment from Bunnings.... Poor Harmond Freeze his nutsack off!! The warm water also makes it a little more comfortable for me in the middle of winter!!

Yep same here. Tied up and hosed down gently. I have a special attachment that lets me attach the garden hose to the laundry tap - that way I can bathe them in warm water during the cooler months. I got the attachment from Bunnings - about $6. Good investment IMHO as it saves me a lot of money in hydrobaths!!

What she has looks very similar to "barbers itch" that men get in their beard area! This is a fungal infection too.

Antibiotics should not be used in the treatment of yeast and fungal infections. Antibiotics only kill bacteria (as the name suggests). Using antibiotics actually predisposes people and animals to fungal infections - lots of women get thrush when they use antibiotics. This is because antibiotics kill all bacteria - not just the bad ones. We have bacteria living on our skin and in our gut that are healthy - they all compete for space and nutrition and keep everything in balance. Kill off the bacteria and the yeasts grow out of control! Try topical applications first and avoid antibiotics if possible. Make sure your girl is getting plenty of acidophilus natural yoghurt in her diet to maintain a good balance in her gut. You can also use Yakult if you can afford it.